Country Music’s Nastiest Breakups [PICTURES]

Country artists have a reputation for penning lyrics that tell tough stories, but one of the hardest things that some stars have to go through isn't always covered in the biggest hits: band breakups.

It's never pretty when the relationship between bandmates goes bad. Groups often become as close as family during their careers (occasionally they even really are family), but sometimes, the onstage appearance that everyone is filled with love for each other turns out to be a farce. Brooks & Dunn and Alabama both managed to keep internal tensions out of the public eye for years before their abrupt breakups.

In some cases, being in a band with a relative has ended up ruining the family dynamic offstage, too: The Everly Brothers, for instance, ended their duo in 1973 and were still estranged in 2014, when Phil Everly died; the Louvin Brothers had a similar fate a decade prior.

Check out the photo gallery above to learn the stories behind some of the country genre's most iconic musical breakups.